


Consequences

by griimdarks



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Other, basically i was thinking about loose ends in critical role....., not explicitly shippy but you can probably work it in there LMAO
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-08
Updated: 2016-07-08
Packaged: 2018-07-22 06:01:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,067
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7422703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/griimdarks/pseuds/griimdarks
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Rakshasa came back, and they handled that with ease.<br/>Something darker came back, and Vax thinks he might have messed this up.</p><p>(I'm terrible at summaries)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Consequences

Vax was not much of a dreamer.

Nights for him passed without much fanfare; go to his room, get into bed, get out bed, check on his sister (who tended to pass out the moment her head hit a pillow), get back into bed. His dreams were empty and void and maybe Vax preferred it that way.

Then he joined the Raven Queen’s services and his dreams became a lot more vivid. And not always in a bad way. Sometimes it was just him and Vex in their old house, their mother cooking lunch (and in these dreams she was happier and not as skinny and her dress wasn’t as frayed as he remembered it being). Sometimes it was Vox Machina, sitting in the courtyard of Greyskull Keep, drinking and laughing in the moonlight.

And sometimes, his dreams weren’t dreams.

Vax knew it was Her, because these dreams tended to be….feathery. Feathers would spill from the edges of his cloak, from the seams of his armour, and he was always fully armoured (and in his dreams the Deathwalkers’ Ward would  _ not _ smell like death). Sometimes the Raven Queen would be there in person, a sparkling white mask in a sea of darkness, curtains of hair turning to cascading feathers as She showed him what She needed. More often than not she would send her ravens and Vax need only follow their lead.

Tonight She was there, but rather than serene She was urgent; rather than expressionless Vax could see the faintest crinkle of worry around Her eyes. Vax barely had time to react before She raised her hand and Vax was suddenly dreaming.

Vox Machina was in Whitestone once again, and She showed him a room similar to his own, inhabited by a tall, white haired individual -  _ Percy _ , Vax thought, and he couldn’t help the way he pursed his lips as he watched their resident gunslinger shut the door, and sit on the edge of his bed. 

If the Raven Queen felt his resentment then she ignored it. They were standing by the door, shoulder to shoulder, when She held up a hand. Vax felt himself being jerked forward; he was still standing at the door, but he was also-

He walked to the candles in the room, hesitated briefly before blowing them out and filling the room with darkness. Vax had an image of the door flying in, of cruel faces and pain exploding across his face as one of the attackers stuck him-

Percy shook his head and the image was gone. Vax looked at the Raven Queen, still standing in the doorway, a vision of concern.

Out of the corner of his eye Vax saw the barest flicker of movement. He turned and saw the shadows in the room start to coagulate, arch up; a claw like hand reached for the skies, followed by an arm, a shoulder, a torso.

Percy reached the last candle, blissfully unaware of his surroundings. He started humming something in Celestial, a rhyme, a song, a lullaby, a prayer - it was Celestial, even curses could sound like a prayer, Vax figured - as he blew it out and the room turned dark. Behind him, the shadows grew a neck, a face, a pair of burning red eyes that focused on him.

“Percival, you idiot!” Vax yelled. “Turn around!”

Percy turned to make his way to his bed. The shadows finished forming, in the low light even Vax could barely make it out as it crept behind Percy. And Percy was human, as good as blind in the dark, and Vax felt a sinking feeling in his stomach as a clawed hand reached out wrapped itself around Percy’s mouth.

Percy screamed - or tried to. With whatever enchantment the Raven Queen had used, Vax could feel the cold shadows cling to  _ his _ face, smothering him in the darkness. He started clawing at the shadows but it was no use, felt his nails rake against his own skin instead. The shadows started to grow, wrapping themselves around his neck and squeezing, filling his nose and Vax’s mouth was wide open and screaming but no sound was coming out. 

“ _ Percival, _ ” the shadows hissed. “ _ It’s been a long time, hasn’t it? _ ”

The Raven Queen was behind Vax now. 

_ Help him _ .

Vax sat bolt upright, gasping for breath. He was in his room, the comfort of his bed, and Percy’s room was two doors down. He leapt out of bed, grabbing his belt of daggers and ran out, pausing only to hammer on Pike’s door and yell, “Percy’s room, now!”

Percy’s door was unlocked and Vax kicked it open, holding out his flametongue dagger as a light source. The room seemed to be choking in shadows that writhed across the floor and up the ceiling and wrapped around Percy’s shaking form. He was looking up with unfocused eyes, clawing at his neck for air with the desperation and terror of someone drowning.

“Percival!” Vax started forward, daggers in hand-

_ He killed your sister _ .

A tiny little voice whispered, in the back of his mind, and despite himself Vax froze in place. He watched Percy struggle, watched his movements become less frantic. His knees gave way and Percy slumped, hunched forward and-

The room flooded with light, shadows squirming and retreating in shock. Pike stepped in front of Vax, mace in her right hand, holy symbol blazing with light in her left, and her eyes were cornflower steel. A bolt of radiant light flew across the room and landed near Percy’s feet, and the shadows on him burned away. Percy took a deep gasping breath and started to sway; Vax ran forward and managed to catch him before he hit the ground.

“Percy?” Vax said, desperate and urgent. “Percy, wake up,”

Percy, slumped against Vax, dragged in lungfuls of air and did not respond. His eyes, still unfocused from terror and a lack of oxygen, fluttered shut but he was breathing and he was alive.

“Show yourself,” Pike snarled, a beacon of glowing light. Shadows gathered from the edges of the room and took form, a towering humanoid figure with red eyes that hissed at her. 

“It will take more than holy light to smite me,  _ gnome _ ,” it spat.

Pike and Vax shared a look. He wracked his brain, wondering what manner of demon they’d managed to piss off and  _ when _ , and why it specifically attacked Percy.

“Oh,” the shadow hissed. “Need me to jog your memory?” and it’s form twisted, shadows unfurling into a long pale coat, grey skin, round spectacles and pure white hair.

“Call it a failing of mine,” Not Percy said loftily, circling Pike. “But no one crosses Orthax and  _ lives _ .”

Despite himself, Vax pulled Percy closer, more protectively.

“It’s a good look, wouldn’t you agree?” Not Percy continued. “Maybe I’ll keep this form. He owes me  _ so _ many things, your Percival, I may as well start taking what I can now.”

“What’s going on?” Vax turned and saw Keyleth at Percy’s door, and behind her stood Vex, Scanlan, who was holding a candle, and Grog, bleary-eyed and confused. They saw Orthax and Pike, Vax and Percy and Keyleth’s hands went to her mouth.

Not Percy- Orthax took this distraction to disappear into a wall.

“Him again?” Vex sounded annoyed, and everyone looked around, alert.

“I thought we killed him?” Keyleth said.

“Apparently, we need to kill him again,” Vax said. Pike moved closer to him and took a defensive stance.

A few moments passed. Vax saw a flicker of movement behind his sister and Not Percy emerged, claws outstretched; Vex noticed and ducked under his swipe and Scanlan shoved the candle up and into Not Percy. Not Percy shrieked in pain and started to retreat into the wall again when Keyleth’s hands blazed with flames and she shoved at Not Percy.

“Enough of this,” Not Percy snarled. “I will be back for what is owed.” and he vanished.

Everyone waited for a moment, expecting him to reappear. When he didn’t they rushed inside and stood around Percy.

“Wait!” Scanlan said suddenly. “I don’t think this is a good idea.”

“What’s not a good idea?” Keyleth said.

“When was the last time Percy was attacked in his room in Whitestone?” Scanlan said.

Everyone paused, and winced as they realised what Scanlan meant.

“Put him on his bed, Vax,” Pike said. She’d let go of her holy symbol but it still glowed.

“One of us should stay with him, though,” Keyleth said, worrying at her lip.

“I’ll stand at the door,” Grog said. “I don’t mind.”

“I’ll wait with him,” Vex said, and Vax gave her a look. “What? Keyleth needs to rest, she needs to get her spells ready,”

“It’s true,” Keyleth said. “But I wouldn’t mind staying! It’s not a big deal-”

“Darling,” Vex said, smiling. “You’re exhausted. Sleep.”

“Ok,” Keyleth looked down, almost pouting.

* * *

The rest of the night seemed to pass with no issue. Vax did not sleep immediately, but walked to the other side of the castle to where Cassandra slept. He opened the door quietly and surveyed the room - no smoke demons here - and Cassandra was fast asleep, unaware of what might be coming for her.

Luckily, Zahra and Kashaw’s rooms were nearby, and he found Zahra wide awake and pouring over a book.

“Didn’t take you for a late night visitor, Vax,” the tiefling said.

“Were you expecting the other twin?” Vax inquired.

Zahra winked at him. “I’m open to either, if you’re interested,”

“Don’t say that, you’ll break my poor sister’s heart,” Vax winked back. “Um, listen, I have a favour to ask.”

“Shoot.”

“Can you keep an eye on Cassandra for me, please? Maybe wait outside her room, or something?”

Zahra raised an eyebrow. “Why? What’s wrong?”

“There may or may not be a shadow demon that decides to strangle her while she sleeps,”

Zahra stared at him. “Seriously? What did you all do- no, nevermind, I don’t want to know.”

“I’d tell you, but it’s not my story to tell. Per se.”

“That’s fair,” Zahra shrugged. She stood up and stretched, before reaching for her staff. “I’ll wait by her door.”

“Thanks, Zahra,”   


Vax felt her tail snake up and lightly smack his rear. “Don’t mention it,” she winked.

With that sorted, Vax went to his room. He’d barely put his daggers down when he heard a knock at his door.

“Come in,” he yawned. The door opened and Pike walked in.

She looked as tired as Vax felt, but she closed the door behind her and walked towards him with purpose in each step.

“Hey, Pike, what did you need?” he motioned for her to sit.

Pike paused, standing in the centre of his room. “I’m ok, thanks,” she smiled, and then her smile faded.

Vax suddenly felt very worried.

“How did you know?” Pike said. “That Percy was being attacked?”

“She told me,” Vax said. “I was dreaming, and She was there, and She told me to help so I did.”

"Okay," Pike stretched the word out, like she was trying to piece a sentence together that follows the word. "Vax," and her voice was soft and guarded. "Vax, you don't....you don't want Percy dead, do you?"

Vax forgot to breathe for a moment. "No," he whispered.

"Because," and Pike paused again, mouth working like she was trying to word something painful. "I saw-"

"I heard a voice," Vax said flatly, and it was always easier to talk to Pike about these things. "A voice that reminded me that he killed Vex, and I paused, I stopped, but I wasn't going to believe it-"

"I know," Pike finally sat next to him. "Vax, I love you dearly, but remember. I love Percy too. And I know you two have some...issues, to work out, but if you want him dead then it’s going to be a problem."

“I don’t want him dead, Pike,” Vax said. “I promise.”

Pike patted his knee. “Ok,” she said. “I believe you.” She got up and walked towards the door. “Goodnight, Vax.”

“Night,” he said, as she closed the door behind her. 

Vax drew his knees up to his chest. He thought about that tiny voice at the back of his mind and wondered if accepting the Raven Queen, if having this great epiphany about himself meant everything or if it meant nothing at all.  


**Author's Note:**

> There's going to be an epilogue....that I need to write next :'D  
> Edit: "I'm terrible at summaries," I say, as I leave a glaringly obvious typo in the summary,


End file.
